United News of Bangladesh

A record toll collection of Tk 5.43 crore was made on Padma Bridge in a single day on Thursday, with a total of 52,487 vehicles crossing the bridge in 24 hours—marking the highest number of vehicles in a day since the bridge opened. Earlier, the highest daily traffic on the bridge was recorded on its inauguration day, June 26, 2022, when 51,316 vehicles crossed, officials said. The previous highest toll collection was Tk 4.89 crore on April 9, 2024. This new record was set on the first day of the 10-day long Eid-ul-Azha holiday. Monsoon Nightmare: Erosion threatens Padma Bridge Project site Besides, the authorities concerned collected tolls amounting to over Tk 4.09 crore from 37,465 vehicles. The Padma Bridge will mark its third anniversary on June 25. So far, a total of over Tk 2,452.82 crore in tolls has been collected, with 1,89,64,218 vehicles having crossed the bridge since its inauguration. Meanwhile, 16,502 vehicles entered the bridge from the Jajira side, contributing Tk 2.26 crore in tolls on Thursday. The remaining 35,985 vehicles entered via the Mawa end, from which Tk 3.16 crore in tolls were collected. Joint Secretary and Director (Administration) of the Bangladesh Bridge Authority, Altaf Hossain Sheikh, who is currently overseeing operations of Padma Bridge, said the bridge is playing a vital role in ensuring smooth travel for holidaymakers heading home for Eid.  

The government earned record Tk 4.19 crore in revenue through toll from the vehicles that crossed the Padma Bridge in 24 hours till 12 am Friday. “A total of Tk 4,19,39,650 toll was collected from Thursday 12 am to Friday 12 am from the 31,723 vehicles that crossed the bridge during the period. It is the highest amount collected so far,” said Dr Mahmudur Rahman, Executive Engineer of Bangladesh Bridges Authority (BBA). Also read: Bus damages Padma Bridge toll booth at Mawa end, one injured Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally inaugurated the bridge on June 25and it was opened to traffic the next morning. Keeping the Eid-ul-Azha celebration ahead, the toll collection is exceeding the previous day’s record almost every day, said Dr Mahmudur Rahman. “In the first 12 days more than 2.45 lakh vehicles crossed the bridge,” he said. Also read: Record Tk 3.16 crore toll collected from Padma Bridge on day 6 Earlier on July 3, a record TK 3.16 crore tolls were collected from around 26,394 vehicles that crossed the bridge.